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Southwest Pasta Salad with Zesty Ranch

Get ready to eat a big bowl of yum. Chopped bell pepper, minced jalapeño, pickled red onions, queso fresco crumbles, baby kale, rotini, avocado slices, roasted corn, chopped tomatoes, grilled chicken, and a quick, delightful southwest-themed ranch dressing.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American, Southwest, Tex-Mex

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 8 oz Grilled chicken chopped
  • 2 cups Rotini pasta cooked
  • ½ cup Roasted corn
  • 4 Cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 1 Orange bell pepper chopped
  • ½ Avocado skin removed, seeded, sliced
  • 2 Green onions sliced thinly
  • 2 tbsp Red onion slices optionally pickled
  • 2 oz Queso fresco crumbled
  • 1 cup Baby kale or spinach
  • 1 Jalapeño minced, seeded if sensitive to spice

Southwest Ranch Dressing

  • Juice of Lime
  • cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • ½ tsp Onion salt
  • 1 tsp Tomato paste
  • ¼ tsp Chili powder
  • pinch Cumin
  • ¼ tsp Garlic powder
  • ½ Jalapeño small, minced

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the salad dressing in a large bowl by combining all of the ingredients and stirring thoroughly with a fork or whisk.
  • Add to the bowl all of the salad ingredients. Toss to coat in dressing. Serve.
Keyword Southwest ranch dressing, Summer salad, Tex-Mex pasta salad